Post by doctorwho on Oct 17, 2007 9:10:49 GMT -6
Congratulations to 1st year coach Kristin Stuart and the Warriors !
( the coaching change was long overdue ) - and can tell from the players also. Player quoted had older sister who played with my daughter in much different times and would know.
A little piece of heaven
Warriors douse Saints to grab share of UEC crown
October 16, 2007
By Patrick Mooney STAFF WRITER
ST. CHARLES -- After showing composure for so long, Waubonsie Valley could finally come unhinged, hopping in circles on the gym floor at St. Charles East.
Flashbulbs soon popped around them Tuesday night, as the Warriors celebrated a share of the Upstate Eight Conference title - their first since 1996.
» Click to enlarge image
Waubonsie Valley's Kassie Kadera, left, Stephanie Demos, center, and Katrina Boryc celebrate their team's Game 1 win over St. Charles East on Tuesday. The Warriors would add even more reason to jump for joy later, downing the Saints in three games to win the Upstate Eight Conference title.
Danielle Gardner / Staff photographer
PHOTO GALLERY
• Waubonsie Valley defeats St. Charles East
FINISHING TOUCH
Guarding a 20-15 lead, Waubonsie Valley gained separation late in Game 3 against St. Charles East. Kari Galen extended for a kill, and Cindy Cavanagh followed with a soft shot that gave the Warriors a 22-15 advantage. From there the Fighting Saints scored the next two points but then came undone with a service error and a shot that went long out of bounds. The Warriors then were on the verge of celebrating a share of their first Upstate Eight Conference title since 1996.
They earned it with a 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 victory over St. Charles East. And as first-year Waubonsie coach Kristen Stuart spoke to reporters afterward, her players waited patiently to pounce, holding blue Pepsi cups full of water.
Moments later, Stuart was called over to a team huddle and then drenched, squinting through the surprise celebration.
"Perfect moment," senior setter Kassie Kadera said afterward.
The Warriors (24-9, 9-1 UEC) arrived at that moment after handing St. Charles North its first league loss Oct. 9, and they will share this crown with the North Stars.
And it came after Waubonsie edged out St. Charles East in three games on Saturday at the Glenbard East tournament. Stuart described this rematch as the same story, Waubonsie outlasting a tough team.
The Fighting Saints opened early leads in each of the first three games, forcing Waubonsie to call quick timeouts. Down 11-5 in Game 1, the Warriors battled back to forge a 13-12 lead, and they did not trail again in that frame.
"It's kind of our mentality," Waubonsie senior libero Katrina Boryc said. "We've even said before the match ... no matter what happens, we have to come back. And we always know that you can come back in volleyball."
St. Charles East (23-12, 8-2) hung around to force a 22-22 tie, but came undone with two service errors, and Boryc registered game point with a shot from the middle that fell into a pile of players on the other side.
Game 2 also swung back and forth, with the two teams tied at 10 separate points, up until 23. But St. Charles East's Mattie Boyd, who finished with 20 kills, soon delivered another booming shot on game point. And now, both teams were 25 points away from a share of the conference title.
The last time Waubonsie won the UEC, Stuart was a freshman at Naperville Central. She later helped lead the Redhawks reach the state finals, and it's clear her players respect where she's been and how she's taking the Warriors where they're going.
"We have a really great relationship with our coach," said Boryc, who had 13 digs. "She's the best thing that has happened in the four years I've been here."
Waubonsie's preseason goals included beating rival Neuqua Valley, and winning that elusive UEC title. An early-season loss at Neuqua nearly derailed those plans.
"It was known as step two," Kadera said of the conference championship. "Neuqua was step one, you know; we kind of fell on that step. We decided to pick ourselves up and leap over step one and accomplish step two."
The Warriors eventually seized control of Game 3 on Tuesday after falling behind 7-4, then scoring six of the next seven points.
Waubonsie's attack continued with Joslyn Drew and Nicole Salmon, who notched nine kills each, and Cindy Cavanagh, who added seven more. And by the time Alana Jones leaped up for match point at the net, another celebration was soon released.
"We're one of those teams where, we get a lead early on in the game, we don't turn around and we don't look back," said Kadera, who finished with 34 assists. "We just keep on trucking."
The same could be said of Waubonsie's season. Kadera said her teammates use mistakes as fuel for the next point.
And Stuart couldn't identify a turning point from the last several weeks.
"I feel like it's been building," she said. "I can't pinpoint one specific time."
Contact Patrick Mooney at pmooney@scn1.com or 630-416-5107.
( the coaching change was long overdue ) - and can tell from the players also. Player quoted had older sister who played with my daughter in much different times and would know.
A little piece of heaven
Warriors douse Saints to grab share of UEC crown
October 16, 2007
By Patrick Mooney STAFF WRITER
ST. CHARLES -- After showing composure for so long, Waubonsie Valley could finally come unhinged, hopping in circles on the gym floor at St. Charles East.
Flashbulbs soon popped around them Tuesday night, as the Warriors celebrated a share of the Upstate Eight Conference title - their first since 1996.
» Click to enlarge image
Waubonsie Valley's Kassie Kadera, left, Stephanie Demos, center, and Katrina Boryc celebrate their team's Game 1 win over St. Charles East on Tuesday. The Warriors would add even more reason to jump for joy later, downing the Saints in three games to win the Upstate Eight Conference title.
Danielle Gardner / Staff photographer
PHOTO GALLERY
• Waubonsie Valley defeats St. Charles East
FINISHING TOUCH
Guarding a 20-15 lead, Waubonsie Valley gained separation late in Game 3 against St. Charles East. Kari Galen extended for a kill, and Cindy Cavanagh followed with a soft shot that gave the Warriors a 22-15 advantage. From there the Fighting Saints scored the next two points but then came undone with a service error and a shot that went long out of bounds. The Warriors then were on the verge of celebrating a share of their first Upstate Eight Conference title since 1996.
They earned it with a 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 victory over St. Charles East. And as first-year Waubonsie coach Kristen Stuart spoke to reporters afterward, her players waited patiently to pounce, holding blue Pepsi cups full of water.
Moments later, Stuart was called over to a team huddle and then drenched, squinting through the surprise celebration.
"Perfect moment," senior setter Kassie Kadera said afterward.
The Warriors (24-9, 9-1 UEC) arrived at that moment after handing St. Charles North its first league loss Oct. 9, and they will share this crown with the North Stars.
And it came after Waubonsie edged out St. Charles East in three games on Saturday at the Glenbard East tournament. Stuart described this rematch as the same story, Waubonsie outlasting a tough team.
The Fighting Saints opened early leads in each of the first three games, forcing Waubonsie to call quick timeouts. Down 11-5 in Game 1, the Warriors battled back to forge a 13-12 lead, and they did not trail again in that frame.
"It's kind of our mentality," Waubonsie senior libero Katrina Boryc said. "We've even said before the match ... no matter what happens, we have to come back. And we always know that you can come back in volleyball."
St. Charles East (23-12, 8-2) hung around to force a 22-22 tie, but came undone with two service errors, and Boryc registered game point with a shot from the middle that fell into a pile of players on the other side.
Game 2 also swung back and forth, with the two teams tied at 10 separate points, up until 23. But St. Charles East's Mattie Boyd, who finished with 20 kills, soon delivered another booming shot on game point. And now, both teams were 25 points away from a share of the conference title.
The last time Waubonsie won the UEC, Stuart was a freshman at Naperville Central. She later helped lead the Redhawks reach the state finals, and it's clear her players respect where she's been and how she's taking the Warriors where they're going.
"We have a really great relationship with our coach," said Boryc, who had 13 digs. "She's the best thing that has happened in the four years I've been here."
Waubonsie's preseason goals included beating rival Neuqua Valley, and winning that elusive UEC title. An early-season loss at Neuqua nearly derailed those plans.
"It was known as step two," Kadera said of the conference championship. "Neuqua was step one, you know; we kind of fell on that step. We decided to pick ourselves up and leap over step one and accomplish step two."
The Warriors eventually seized control of Game 3 on Tuesday after falling behind 7-4, then scoring six of the next seven points.
Waubonsie's attack continued with Joslyn Drew and Nicole Salmon, who notched nine kills each, and Cindy Cavanagh, who added seven more. And by the time Alana Jones leaped up for match point at the net, another celebration was soon released.
"We're one of those teams where, we get a lead early on in the game, we don't turn around and we don't look back," said Kadera, who finished with 34 assists. "We just keep on trucking."
The same could be said of Waubonsie's season. Kadera said her teammates use mistakes as fuel for the next point.
And Stuart couldn't identify a turning point from the last several weeks.
"I feel like it's been building," she said. "I can't pinpoint one specific time."
Contact Patrick Mooney at pmooney@scn1.com or 630-416-5107.
